Monday 17 April 2017

What is Free Speech?



"If freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter."

- George Washington 




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13 comments:

  1. Probably no such thing outside the confines of your own front door. In any case maybe we all speak 'with forked tongue'.

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    1. On one "Freedom of Speech" website USA scores 100, and UK scores 95. Turkey scores 38.
      Strange that most of the 1.7 million Turks living today in Germany voted for a more authoritarian regime?

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  2. Freedom of speech has become the myth of every society albeit incurring varying degrees of punishment if occasioned to use it. It is totally useless and as useless as a cliché. Weave is correct.

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    1. She is. And you are right too. It has become something of a cliche'.

      A Dutch politician said that he believed there were too many immigrants from a certain African country in Holland and they were causing problems. That's his opinion. But he was fined for saying it.

      I don't know if it's true, but I hope it is, that George Washington said: If freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter.

      Here's another recent case: A Turkish shopkeeper in Germany told people he was voting "No". Big mistake. This made him unpopular. Because of saying he was voting "No" he had to pay the price. The windows of the shop were smashed and his Turkish customers deserted him.

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    2. Turns out 73% voted for Erdogan in Austria ballot.

      Think what's coming.

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  3. Zazen silence; inner, free speech.

    __ Today if you speak freely in opposition to any particular point, you are considered "rebellious." Tomorrow?
    __ "The Media," may no longer be seen as being developed from the definitions of mediate, or intermediate.
    __ "Mediation" has become a failing function within many worldwide societies. "Value Both Views?" VBV and balance, but that balance very often becomes offensive to some minds. _m

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  4. "Inner free speech" is as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

    In the US you have the 1st Amendment which guarantees freedom of speech and expression and you can stand on that. It's an historical and wonderful thing.

    In Germany's EU or the EU's Germany (not sure how it all works anymore) the German Turks have voted in a referendum on transferring power to their president - something like 62.5% said YES - but the Germans themselves as I understand it are not allowed to have referendums.

    The independent news media in Germany has basically ceased to exist. The government controls what it wants journalists to write and report as evidenced by the words of the former editors of the Frankfurter Allgemeine and ZDF the main TV station. Therefore there is no balance. Only the official or semi-official view, which is based on their interpretation of the often offensive philosophy of VBV as you call it.

    Thanks Magyar.

    We can choose our future. It'll still not too late. Hitchens or Hitchcock. That's it. Stark choice.





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    1. In Austria 73% voted YES for more Erdogan!

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    1. Thanks Dave. Me too, I also agree with George Washington. Very wise man.

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    2. You might read my second reply to Rachel.

      ps - (The Gates of Vienna are the gates to Europe)

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  6. George Washington was right but today the freedom of speach often IS a cliché due to the fact that there will always be topics where the frames are already set and you have to be very well informed of how the wind blows before you speak. We can all accidently say something awkvard or inapropriate because we speak before thinking, but that is no problem. The problem is rather when we give voice to an opinion that isn't politicly correct, in the wrong setting, we will be out in the cold in notime. I'm afraid Rachel is right, perhaps we are fooling ourselves by creating an image of the civilized, democratic and humane society. Perhaps it's a myth that it can be done. But it would be nice if we actually could live free, respected and equal in the best of worlds, at least the dream lives on in many peoples hearts and I'm glad. If we give up the thought that we can live together in peace, freedom of mind, speach and life, we might choose to vote for people that will set the path for us and point out the way to live, think and feel. That makes me sad. But it has happend and will happend again, like so many other things we said would never be repeated.
    Your friends here, Gwil, are wise and good people, we need to speak about these things. Because we care. I believe hope is an important word.

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    1. Fairtrader, many thanks for your comment.

      The elusive dream is a highwire act. The clowns and the jugglers are in the ring:

      The Roman maxim: GIVE THE PEOPLE BREAD AND CIRCUS.





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